FINCHforum

Hi, i house one Java with 2 Hecks and 3 Zebras. They get along fine most of the time, except. The Java and one of the Hecks have almost paired up, sleep together in the nest and the Java fights off the other Hecks. But of a morning, one of the male Zebra finches mounts and tries to mate with the Java sparrow whos tail is fluttering as if he was a female, but he isnt. Its wierd and i have no explanation at all.
Any theories??

James

I'll be curious to hear what people who know more than I do have to say. I have 2 male zebras together, and one male did the tail fluttering thing and got mounted by the other male. That's happened quite a few times.

I know nothing about Javas - you're sure you have a male? That asked, it's very common for males to mount each other. As I understand it they're like dogs - it's a dominance thing. The zebra obviously thinks he's the "top dog"!

Hmm that's interesting. I guess it makes sense, the one that does the mounting is also the more aggressive of the two.

i am afraid that this does happen a lot and when people buy societies and they are trying to sex tham ,this kind of behaviour throws the owner as they think the one being mounted is a female..it is a dominace thing..a top dog ....i am the daddy type of thing on some rare occasions the males are that full of hormones that they want to do it with anything and eveything so they get carried away!


ken

Wow that's news to me, very interesting

I have two male Zebs that act like an old married couple. They even got to building a nest together when I put on in there for them to play with. And I do see the more dominant male mount the other. So I guess that's "normal" they seem quite happy and I don't have to be worried about eggs and babies.

I've read many articles about Javas, I keep them myself. The Javas are a lot bigger than other finches and usually are more dominant in a mixed environment, please tell me, which of your finches occupy the highest perch in your aviary?